Many commercial artists and designers store and display samples of their work within portfolio-style display units. These units typically comprise multiple pages contained within a notebook or binder that is configured to permit insertion, removal, or substitution of pages as the artist's work is updated. Each page of the portfolio typically comprises a paper or paperboard sheet that is overlaid on either side with a transparent plastic sheet, thereby forming a pocket between the plastic sheet and the paper. The specimen to be displayed is placed within the pocket, from which it can be viewed easily and conveniently while protected from being bent, creased, stained, or otherwise marred.
The configuration described above is generally regarded as being quite satisfactory for displaying specimens, such as advertisements, drawings, photos, and the like, that comprise only a single sheet or leaf. However, this configuration is not particularly suitable for specimens, such as advertising brochures, leaflets, pamphlets, booklets, and the like, that include multiple leaves arranged in overlying layers. Once the multileaf specimen is placed within the pocket of a portfolio page, only its uppermost leaf can be viewed; examination of leaves that underlie the uppermost leaf requires that the specimen be removed from the pocket. In addition, one perusing the portfolio cannot easily discern whether a particular specimen has multiple leaves without removing it from the pocket. This is particularly problematic when the artist is not present to point out during examination of the portfolio which specimens have multiple leaves. Displaying the specimen by attaching it to the front surface of the plastic sheet (i.e., outside the pocket) has proven to be unsatisfactory, as the cover of a specimen so displayed tends to open and be bent, crushed, or creased, which spoils its appearance.
The prior art includes devices for the storage of items having multiple leaves, but has not addressed the specific problem of simultaneously displaying a multileaf specimen for viewing while simultaneously protecting it from being creased or bent. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,527 to Palmer discusses a folder specifically for use by athletic coaches. The folder comprises hinged front and back covers. A pair of latching tabs are permanently fixed at one end to the back cover. The free end of each tab includes a Velcro.RTM. patch. The patch is positioned to attach to a corresponding mating patch mounted on one or more individual custom-formed athletic field diagrams sized to fit within the folder to secure them in place temporarily. U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,875 to Smith et al. discusses a binder for a multipage computer printout. The binder comprises a back cover and a clear front cover, each of which is attached at one edge to a spine. The front and back covers include Velcro.RTM. patches located on their upper surfaces that mate when the binder is folded back upon itself to facilitate storage. U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,925 to Court discusses a specimen book that includes a storage tray attached to the book's back cover and multiple pages of sheets attached to the book's front cover.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portfolio that enables a multileaf specimen to be displayed and easily recognized as such, thereby making an observer of the specimen aware that the specimen includes additional leaves to be examined.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portfolio that enables all of the leaves of a multileaf specimen to be easily and conveniently examined.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a portfolio that secures a multileaf specimen so that the likelihood of the leaves being bent or creased is substantially reduced.